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Can Divorce Cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Divorce can be an immensely stressful process and cause considerable emotional pain. The implications of a divorce can be long-lasting for one partner or both depending on the circumstances of how the dissolution of the marriage takes place. It is often recommended to seek support and help from a professional when a divorce is highly contentious to ease some of the psychological burdens.

Everyone’s threshold for what they can tolerate when it comes to stressful events in life is different. This is why it is possible that the extreme emotional and psychological strain that a person may experience as they work through their divorce can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.

If you are a resident of the great state of Indiana and you are facing divorce, Christopher L. Arrington is a Danville divorce attorney that understands how sensitive divorce can be. By focusing on your objectives, Christopher L. Arrington knows how to come up with supportive and intelligent strategies that will work best to meet your unique goals.

How Divorce Can Cause PTSD

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale defines some of life’s most common stressful events. The number one life event that poses the most stress in humans is the death of a spouse with an impact rating of 100. The second under the death of a spouse is divorce with an impact rating of 76. Third on the list is marital separation with an impact rating of 65. 

What this means is that of all of the most horrendous and challenging things to happen in life when you lose your partner in some way or another, death, divorce, or separation, it is incredibly troubling, and hard to cope with. Even jail time does not rank in the top three life stressors according to the scale.

PTSD can be multifaceted when it comes to divorce. The presence of one spouse suffering from PTSD can be enough to exacerbate a struggling marriage and cause it to break. Other times, enduring all of the aspects of a divorce can be enough to cause PTSD to develop.

Common symptoms of PTSD include:

  • Reoccurring dreams about the divorce and the marriage that did not work out.
  • Inability to sleep or extreme lethargy.
  • Severe self-blaming.
  • Hostility and chronic anger.
  • Engaging in destructive tendencies.
  • Flashbacks.

PTSD can be very difficult to live with. Getting professional help is one way that has been shown to be highly effective in managing the devastating symptoms of PTSD. The sooner you get help, the better your overall health and wellness will be. So, if you are experiencing a divorce that has put you under great duress, it is possible and there is hope to manage your situation and begin to heal from it.

Speak to an Indiana Divorce Attorney Today

To learn more about how you can effectively manage your divorce in the most fruitful and healthful way, Christopher L. Arrington is an Indiana divorce attorney that is there for you and ready to offer assistance. Call Christopher L. Arrington today to schedule a free consultation at (317) 745-4494.



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